Health officials in England has seen an uptick in measles cases this summer in teenagers and young adults who attended or worked at music and arts festivals across the country.
According to Public Health England (PHE) data, at least 36 measles cases linked to at least eight music and arts festivals across England have been reported since mid-June.
Glastonbury festival, which took place in late June, accounted for nearly half of the cases. At least a half-dozen cases each were linked to NASS festival and the Triplicity Music and Arts Festival.
The country had already seen a significant increase in measles cases during the first half of the year. 234 measles cases were confirmed between January and June 2016, compared with 54 cases reported for the same period in 2015.
Most of the cases linked to festivals were reported from South West (12) and London (9) regions,; however, cases were reported from other regions, including Scotland and Wales.
The vast majority of cases were unvaccinated (30) or partially vaccinated (3) teenagers and young adults. The vaccination status of three others is unknown.
PHE is reminding teenagers and young people who are unsure about their vaccination status to check with their GP and make an appointment, if needed, to ensure they receive the two doses of MMR vaccine required. All age groups are urged to be aware of the symptoms of measles and not to attend festivals if they are unwell. Young people planning to attend other festivals over the summer are in particular urged to follow this advice.
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